metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Metamorphic Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, reddish-pink to brownish-tan color, dull to earthy luster, granoblastic texture composed of fused quartz grains, extremely tough and resistant to weathering.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, reddish-pink to brownish-tan color, dull to earthy luster, granoblastic texture composed of fused quartz grains, extremely tough and resistant to weathering.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the recrystallization of quartz sandstone subjected to intense heat and pressure during regional metamorphism. Subsequently smoothed and rounded by stream or wave action into a pebble.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone, ballast, landscaping gravel, and decorative garden pebbles.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that when it breaks, it fractures through the individual quartz grains rather than along the boundaries between them, unlike sandstone.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hard, sugary-granular texture that cannot be scratched by a steel blade. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and gravel pits worldwide.
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